Alena shut the door behind herself and sighed, finally back in her room. The paintings had taken longer than expected, but her portrait was stunning. Ari never portrayed her as thinner or more feminine than she was, but he always managed to paint her at the most absolutely flattering angle, in just the right light. Now, she had to be out of the castle. She hastily removed her dress and shoes, not bothering to call for her maids, and fished her riding gear from her closet. She pulled on her upper small-cloth and a black shirt and pulled on her tight, fitted pants. Once her sword sheathe was latched around her waist and her boots were buckled up, Alena set off down the hall quickly, in a hurry to get to the stables.

Finally, Alena walked into the stables, going straight to the row furthest in the back. She stopped at the stall in the lefthand corner, whistling at the hulking black and brown pile on the straw floor. At her voice, the lump started moving and sniffing, before part of it erupted into a flurry of barks. The rest, Alena's stallion, unfolded itself and rose much more slowly, but with the same eagerness. Alena opened the stall door and the dog bounded around her, nudging her hands with its nose. The dog was a long-legged and heavily muscled dog, bred to run into battle, but handpicked by the princess to be her companion and guardian. The dog's short brown fur showed the movement of each muscle and tendon, while its stumped tail wagged furiously. Alena reached down to pat her, rubbing each ear in turn, before placing her hand on the stallion's thick neck. Sleek black fur and the strong body of a true warhorse, the stallion had been Alena's from a very young age, one of a very long breeding line for the Crown.

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Technically speaking, Alena was supposed to saddle and ride a much smaller horse when she ventured into town, not an all-out battle-mount, but she also wasn't supposed to take off without informing her parents and bringing a guard, and that was just unrealistic. Not even bothering with a saddle or bridle, Alena led the horse and dog out into the open grass, lifting herself onto the animal's back with ease. Her stallion settled under her weight and the cool steel of her sword on its flank, the dog taking up her place beside it. Alena leaned forward and left, and began leading the animals toward the front gates. The princess did not pause as she approached the guards, who opened the gates without question; she did not answer to them, and demanded no answers in return. As such, they allowed her to do as she pleased during the day, watching her group amble down the path toward the city.